Nadel told The Comics Reporter that the decision was a personal and not financial one, as the publisher remains viable.

"This was not an easy decision, but the company is no longer feasible for me as a thoroughgoing venture," he wrote this morning on the PictureBox website.

"Change is, as the cliché goes, a good thing, and I am proud of PictureBox the idea and the company, and grateful to the many artists I've worked with over the years.

"I've been publishing since 2000, and without such an astounding array of loyal and talented people PictureBox would be nothing. Some of my closest friends were made while working on PictureBox projects."

Current titles - which include 1-800 MICE, Cold Heat and Powr Mastrs - will remain available through the PictureBox website, which will also be running a 50% sale until January 2.